The Rancho Santa Fe Fire Protection District, along with the cities of Del Mar, Encinitas, and Solana Beach, was recently recognized by the San Diego County Taxpayers Association (SDCTA) for saving taxpayers an estimated $1 million last year through their cooperative efforts agreement. The agreement, which was put into effect in 2009, provides for the participating agencies to share management services in an effort to cut back on operating costs. The agreement was modified last year and is now expected to save the agencies $1.6 million.

The recognition from the SDCTA came during their 16th annual Golden Watchdog and Golden Fleece Awards Dinner on May 19.

“This ‘throwback’ Golden Watchdog Award from the Taxpayers Association recognizes that we are at the front edge of government cost-savings,” said RSF Fire District Board Chair James Ashcraft. “We are pleased the agreement has thus far been a success, to the extent that other agencies have contacted us to see about using our arrangement as a template for similar partnerships.”

Tom Hickerson, RSF Fire District board member, added, “Our goal is to deliver the best services possible to all members of our district. This agreement has allowed us to continue providing excellent service to our residents while saving the district money.”

Del Mar City Council Member Mark Filanc said, “This is one of the programs that truly is a win for all. The City of Del Mar is very happy with the results and it’s great to be recognized for our efforts.

“The bottom-line of this agreement is that we are doing much more with much less and that means better public safety with better fiscal responsibility. We are committed to continuing to look for ways to improve service and reduce costs.” says Encinitas City Council Member Jerome Stocks.

Solana Beach City Council Member Dave Roberts said, “In this day and age, we all need to do whatever we can to maximize efficiencies and save public money while providing top-notched customer service.”